How's It Going to Be

"How's It Going to Be" is a song by the American rock band Third Eye Blind from their debut album Third Eye Blind (1997). It was released to radio as the third single from the album on October 20, 1997, by Elektra Records. Frontman Stephan Jenkins and guitarist Kevin Cadogan are credited as writers of the song. Production on the song was helmed by Jenkins, Eric Valentine, and Ren Klyce, with additional production and arrangement by Arion Salazar and Cadogan. According to Jenkins, the song is about the end of a relationship and the transition to acquaintanceship.

The song was recorded in and around San Francisco at Toast Studios, Skywalker Ranch, and H.O.S. by Valentine. Tom Lord-Alge was responsible for the mixing of the track, which was made at South Beach Studios in Miami Beach. "How's It Going to Be" was one of the first demos recorded for Third Eye Blind, being recorded alongside the first iteration of "Semi-Charmed Life". The song's concept was developed after Cadogan played an autoharp, which inspired feelings of nostalgia among the band members. The instrumentation used in the song also includes guitars, drums, and a cello.

"How's It Going to Be" received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Cadogan's distinct use of an autoharp in the instrumentation. The song peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving Third Eye Blind their second entry on the chart and their second top-10 hit. Internationally, "How's It Going to Be" was a top-40 hit in three countries. On the 1998 year-end charts, the song peaked at number 67 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.